Review – Once a Brat by Kim Dare

Publisher: Riptide
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: NetGalley

Experienced dominant Marcus has a stalker. On the plus side, the boy following him around his local leather club is gorgeous and a self-professed submissive. Unfortunately, he’s also inexperienced, bratty, and liable to drive Marcus insane within his incessant chatter and questions.

Bret Daniels fell head over heels with Marcus the moment he first saw him. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to get Marcus’s attention and prove his worth as a submissive. He might not be a traditional sub, but he knows he has a lot to offer a dom who can handle his quirks.

When Marcus gives in and agrees to do a scene with Bret, sparks fly. One scene quickly becomes another, and another. But will it be a case of once a brat, always a brat? Bret intends to prove to Marcus that—expectations and experiences aside—he deserves his master’s collar.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

I’m always in the mood for a good BDSM romance, as well as a m/m romance. When the two come together, it’s usually an awesome reading experience. However, with Kim Dare I seem to have so-so luck.

Marcus isn’t looking to take on a submissive who is so persistent, but something about Bret stands out to him. When Marcus gives in and does a scene with Bret, the chemistry between them is undeniable. But, Marcus isn’t ready to commit to a bratty submissive, especially one so new to the scene.

Bret knew from the moment he laid eyes on Marcus that he didn’t want to sub for anyone else. Despite his somewhat bratty behavior and lack of respect for other Doms, Bret is out to prove to Marcus that what the two of them have could be the foundation for so much more.

This is a quick read, at only 92 pages, and the story flies by faster than expected. While I enjoyed the story, I was a little disappointed at how quickly the characters professed their love for each other. I’m not usually an insta-love fan, and this story just didn’t work for me with the quick “I love yous.”

One of the things that is somewhat hit or miss for me with Dare is how her characters participate in their BDSM relationship. With Marcus and Bret, there were a little more laid back in their romance. They weren’t into anything heavy, or too kinky for me. The sex was hot while not crossing any boundaries that I’ve found in previous Dare books. I also really liked that Bret had a bit of a different spin on his submission. Although he met Marcus at a BDSM club, he wasn’t big into the scene as a whole. He didn’t care to submit to any other Doms, and even would go so far as to ignore standard “protocol” with other Doms, even at the club. I liked that Bret had a bit of spunk in him, and was grateful that Marcus recognized it as well.

Although the sexy times between these two were smokin’ hot, I never really got the romance. Either they were too quick to profess their love, or I just couldn’t feel their connection. Either way, I had a hard time believing in their ever after. I would have liked to see more of the emotional aspects of their relationship, instead of just the physical. That might have helped me connect with them as a couple better.

All in all I thought this was a very sexy read from Dare. I liked that Bret and Marcus both took a chance on one another, and stepped outside their normal type of guy. I just wish I could have developed more of a bond with the characters so that I could feel more invested in their story.
I give Once a Brat a C+

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About MinnChica

MinnChica can usually be found with her nose in a book (or nook), and can ALWAYS find a few minutes to read: stuck at a red light, sitting in the doctors office, on her lunch break. She's so addicted to reading that her family frequently threatens to host an intervention. Currently MinnChica is devouring every romance book she can get her hands on, especially ones that feature 'friends to lovers' stories. Some of her favorite authors currently are Ilona Andrews, Jill Myles, Meljean Brook, Nalini Singh and Susan Mallery.

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